Two Minutes
by shopgirl152
Summary: Disney/Pixar Short Films  Lifted . Clem the alien has just two minutes to raise an abductee into the spaceship using nothing but a huge panel of touch sensitive switches. Will he make it in time? one-shot


**A/N: **So this is my interpretation of the Pixar Short Film "Lifted." I hope you enjoy it.

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><p>All Clem wanted was to be a good alien; now here he was, sitting in front of a panel of switches, each one touch sensitive to a fault. He gulped nervously, waiting for the signal from the larger alien standing in front of him, holding a clipboard.<p>

The large alien consulted his clipboard. "You have two minutes to raise a new abductee by use of these switches. The tractor beam has already been activated; now it's up to you. None of the switches are labeled; you should know which switch does what based on pure instinct." The alien stopped, walking over to the wall and pushing a button. Clem jumped as a model of the house below the spaceship came into view, the abductee a blinking white dot.

The alien motioned to the model. "This is the model of the house below us; use it as your guide to get said abductee from point A, his house, to point B, our spaceship. You may begin…" Clem waited with anticipation. "_Now_." The large alien activated a timer.

Clem stared at the array of switches, his heart pounding. He could do this, no problem. He'd done it countless times in Lifting class; this shouldn't be to hard. He looked at the model of the house next to him. He glanced up at the larger alien, then back down to the row of switches. It was all he could do not to cover his eyes. He gulped, fiddling a switch near his left side. He looked at the model of the house, watching as the white dot slowly lifted out of bed, turning around, headed for the window. It was going, going, closer to the window now…bam! The abductee slammed into a wall.

Clem grimaced; to hard. He had to be gentle with the switches. He wiped his hands on his legs, trying to get rid of the extra clamminess. If his hand slipped, it was all over. He took a deep breath, fiddling with a different switch up near the top. He paused, looking at the larger alien, hoping for a sign.

No such luck; the larger alien only glared at him. Clem took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. _Okay, again. Here we go_. His hands shaking, he placed his other hand over another switch, praying two would be better this time. He eyed the house warily, watching desperately. Good so far…bam! Clem sighed as the abductee slammed into the other wall, appearing to upset something on a nearby table. Clem glanced at the clock: one minute now.

In a fit of panic, he closed his eyes, snatching at the switches. Anything could work; anything! His webbed fingers touched switch after switch, never knowing the chaos they were causing.

Down below, the abductee was knocked left and right, slamming into one wall after the other, slamming into doorjambs, tables, the bathtub, his own bed, even the family dog, which remarkable didn't make a sound, only glancing up as his master banged his way back upstairs, hitting the stairs with a loud crash.

Clem opened an eye, peeking through web fingers as his elbow accidentally brushed another switch. He gulped, looking at the house model, a grin slowly spreading across his face. Could it be? Yes! The abductee was slowly making his way to the window…and getting stuck.

Clem drummed his fingers on the panel, slightly annoyed; if it wasn't for the abductee's large butt, he would be able to fit through. _Come on, come on_! He fiddled with the switch, yanking it left and right. _Come on! He has to fit_! He thought frantically. He glanced at the clock, fiddling the switch harder. Twenty seconds now. He seized another switch, his panic mounting. 19…18…17…16…15….14…13…12…11…10…_Yes_!

Clem silently cheered as the abductee cleared the bedroom window, slowly making his way up the tractor beam…only to get stuck in a nearby tree. _Stupid tree_. _Now how much time is left_? He nervously glanced at the clock. Six seconds!

He fiddled the switch even harder, alternating with another one nearby. 5…4…3…the abductee finally cleared the tree, slowly making his way up to the spaceship. Clem looked at the larger alien, a cocky grin on his face as the hatch door opened, lifting the man into the spaceship. Clem locked his gaze on the larger alien, confidently pushing a red button on the panel…only to have the hatch door close part way, the abductee falling through the small opening.

2…1. Clem's jaw dropped. He watched sadly as the abductee crashed back into the house. He hung his head, allowing himself to be gently pushed away from the panel by the larger alien.

The larger alien shook his head, sitting down, sprouting several hands, fiddling expertly with the switches, putting everything back the way it was. When that was done, he sat down at the steering wheel, ready to drive the spaceship back to Mars. As the spaceship prepared to take off, he glanced at Clem. _He tried so hard_, he thought. He smiled, offering the steering wheel to Clem.

Clem took the wheel eagerly, turning it roughly to the left and then the right. The spaceship lifted high into the air…only to come crashing down, completely crushing the house he had just been practicing on. He looked at the larger alien apologetically. "Heh. Heh. Oops."

The larger alien sighed, taking the steering wheel from Clem, motioning him to sit next to him and not move for the rest of the trip. He grumbled to himself. "One day he'll get it, one day he'll get it."


End file.
